The Department of Families, Fairness and Housing has released their midway report on Inclusive Victoria – our state’s disability plan for 2022-2026.

The report gives us a snapshot of how Victoria is progressing towards a more inclusive and accessible society for people with disability.

We’re seeing some encouraging progress.

The report says that more people with disability are finding employment, with participation rising from 40% to 46%. It also says that housing affordability has improved slightly, and more people are feeling positive about their job prospects. The rollout of disability liaison officers across health services and increased co-design with people with disability shows promising systemic change.

However, significant challenges remain.

The report also shows that the number of people with disability experiencing mental health distress has jumped to 63%. Cost of living pressures are biting hard – 9% of people with disability are skipping meals to make ends meet (four times higher than the general population), and they’re twice as likely to struggle with utility bills.

The report comes at a crucial time, as Victoria considers its response to both the Disability Royal Commission and NDIS Review recommendations.

While many of the plan’s 175 actions are stated to be on track, the real measure of success is whether these initiatives are creating meaningful change in people’s daily lives.

The next two years will be critical. Let’s use these insights to strengthen our approach and accelerate progress towards a truly inclusive Victoria.